A Comparison Between the Audit and Financial Due Diligence Process in Belgium

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A Comparison Between the Audit and Financial Due Diligence Process in Belgium https://lib.uliege.be https://matheo.uliege.be A comparison between the audit and financial due diligence process in Belgium Auteur : Franssen, Mike Promoteur(s) : Francis, Yves Faculté : HEC-Ecole de gestion de l'Université de Liège Diplôme : Master en sciences de gestion, à finalité spécialisée en Financial Analysis and Audit Année académique : 2019-2020 URI/URL : http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/8809 Avertissement à l'attention des usagers : Tous les documents placés en accès ouvert sur le site le site MatheO sont protégés par le droit d'auteur. Conformément aux principes énoncés par la "Budapest Open Access Initiative"(BOAI, 2002), l'utilisateur du site peut lire, télécharger, copier, transmettre, imprimer, chercher ou faire un lien vers le texte intégral de ces documents, les disséquer pour les indexer, s'en servir de données pour un logiciel, ou s'en servir à toute autre fin légale (ou prévue par la réglementation relative au droit d'auteur). Toute utilisation du document à des fins commerciales est strictement interdite. Par ailleurs, l'utilisateur s'engage à respecter les droits moraux de l'auteur, principalement le droit à l'intégrité de l'oeuvre et le droit de paternité et ce dans toute utilisation que l'utilisateur entreprend. Ainsi, à titre d'exemple, lorsqu'il reproduira un document par extrait ou dans son intégralité, l'utilisateur citera de manière complète les sources telles que mentionnées ci-dessus. Toute utilisation non explicitement autorisée ci-avant (telle que par exemple, la modification du document ou son résumé) nécessite l'autorisation préalable et expresse des auteurs ou de leurs ayants droit. A comparison between the audit and financial due diligence process in Belgium Jury: Mémoire présenté par Promoteur: Mike FRANSSEN Yves FRANCIS : En vue de l'obtention du diplôme de Lecteur(s) : master en sciences de gestion à finalité Wilfried NIESSEN spécialisée en Financial Analysis and Cédric ANTONELLI : Audit. Année académique 2019/2020 Acknowledgments This master thesis is the result of a long research process that required continuous efforts to achieve the objective. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the people who supported me throughout this process. At first, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Mr. Francis for the support and the aspiring guidance. Secondly, I would like to thank Mr. Fank, Mr. Schmetz, Mr. Bataille, Mr. Williquet, Mr. Bernard, and Mrs. Rodheudt for the valuable practical insights. The interviews enabled me to perform an efficient qualitative survey and to meet inspiring people. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family and friends for their continuous support. Especially during the COVID-19-crisis, they created the perfect conditions to perform efficient work. 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 7 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY – LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 9 SOURCES AND KEYWORDS ............................................................................................................................... 9 FILTERING ................................................................................................................................................... 10 STRUCTURE OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 11 LITERATURE REVIEW – FINANCIAL AUDIT ........................................................................................ 12 DEFINITION OF THE THEORETICAL CONCEPT ....................................................................................................... 12 AUDIT PROCESS ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Preliminary Engagement Activities .................................................................................................... 15 Perform and Evaluate ........................................................................................................................ 21 Conclude ............................................................................................................................................. 25 LITERATURE REVIEW - FINANCIAL DUE DILIGENCE ........................................................................... 28 DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPT ......................................................................................................................... 28 TYPES OF DUE DILIGENCE .............................................................................................................................. 29 Buy-Side-Due-Diligence ...................................................................................................................... 29 Sell-Side-Due-Diligence ...................................................................................................................... 30 AREAS OF DUE DILIGENCE ............................................................................................................................. 31 FINANCIAL DUE DILIGENCE IN THE MERGER AND ACQUISITION PROCESS ................................................................ 34 Identification and addressing potential buyers ................................................................................. 34 Rough Analysis of the target company .............................................................................................. 35 Detailed Analysis of the target company ........................................................................................... 35 Sales agreement negotiations ........................................................................................................... 35 Comply with the contractual agreements ......................................................................................... 36 OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE FINANCIAL DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS .................................................... 36 Preliminary Engagement Activities .................................................................................................... 38 Understand & Plan ............................................................................................................................. 39 Perform and Evaluate ........................................................................................................................ 41 Conclude ............................................................................................................................................. 44 QUALITATIVE SURVEY .................................................................................................................... 48 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION & PARTICIPANTS ............................................................................................... 48 METHOD OF ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................. 50 LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 50 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................... 51 MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUDIT AND FINANCIAL DUE DILIGENCE..................................................................... 52 TYPES AND AREAS OF DUE DILIGENCE ............................................................................................................... 53 Types of Due Diligence ....................................................................................................................... 53 Areas of due diligence ........................................................................................................................ 53 Performer of the due diligence .......................................................................................................... 55 PRELIMINARY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................... 55 The scope ........................................................................................................................................... 55 Duration ............................................................................................................................................. 56 Principle of independence .................................................................................................................. 57 Confidentiality .................................................................................................................................... 58 UNDERSTAND AND PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 58 Legal Environment ............................................................................................................................. 58 Digital transformation ....................................................................................................................... 60 Contact person inside of the company............................................................................................... 60 General composition of the team and costs .....................................................................................
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